Newbie restrictions

[sodapop]

We take every whitelist request seriously...

I am glad to hear this. Hard working moderators always have my respect and appreciation.

(and even year long lurkers, such as myself)

...but we can't read your mind. Nowhere in your request did you say that.

Why should it make a difference if someone claims to be a lurker? Anyone can do that. And no, you couldn't check my ip or anything, because I mostly browsed this site with Tor before needing to register.


Anyway, I know big forums have troubles with newbies. But a forced newbie section is quite extreme. FAQs and closing repeatedly asked questions by a sizable number of lower ranked moderators is the norm for a reason. It's much more friendly and doesn't create a giant hurdle that probably offends and deters intelligent new users more than your average joe.

[rTech]

SMF forums has some nice  modifications, that changes things bit harder for spambots!
I personally use 1 and 3 for my fps game clan forum and we have zero spam status
Akismet could make it surely more secured but i hate to reg in anywhere to get some
keys to use free program.

1. cb|Emailogin http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=1665

2. Akismet for SMF http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=544

3. Antibot Captcha Clock http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=1134

[bacon strips]

Due to a mass of trolling, only established posters are able to post in non-newbie sections. You are considered "established" if you have spent 4 hours online and have made 5 posts.

So basically I need to spam the newbie section 5 times and wait 4 hours so I can post on the form for the pool that I am in?

[Maged]

(and even year long lurkers, such as myself)

...but we can't read your mind. Nowhere in your request did you say that.

Why should it make a difference if someone claims to be a lurker? Anyone can do that. And no, you couldn't check my ip or anything, because I mostly browsed this site with Tor before needing to register.

It allows us to look for more subtle hints in the post to see if what they are saying is true. It's usually not something we look for, since it's usually not the case for most people.

Anyway, I know big forums have troubles with newbies. But a forced newbie section is quite extreme. FAQs and closing repeatedly asked questions by a sizable number of lower ranked moderators is the norm for a reason. It's much more friendly and doesn't create a giant hurdle that probably offends and deters intelligent new users more than your average joe.

Yeah, but we don't have, nor do we want, such a big moderator staff that we can do that. Hell, most of our moderators have their own projects they do outside of the forum. We're really understaffed, but we don't want to risk the possibility of a moderator becoming corrupt, as that's much worse. We don't even have the power to ban people.

[Telsin]

Much more reasonable then a 50 post rule, at this way they can weed out most of the crap and not lose their minds over it, either.

[schalk]

This is a good idea.

[Morebitcoinsplease]

I think the rules are okay I know of a lot of forums where they require a lot more hours and posts.

Personally I have spent easily over 10 hours each week over the past 2 months, but I finally joined today as a user so I can buy / sell stuff for bitcoins and realized I can't post until I go through these trials.

[smurfix]

Well, I think they're a bit annoying. Four content-free posts in the Newbie section aren't that difficult.

Why don't you allow enabling an account with a Bitcoin transfer? I'd consider 1 Bitcent to be reasonable for purposes of spam blocking.

[MoonShadow]

Well, I think they're a bit annoying. Four content-free posts in the Newbie section aren't that difficult.

Why don't you allow enabling an account with a Bitcoin transfer? I'd consider 1 Bitcent to be reasonable for purposes of spam blocking.

Because it's a fair assumption that newbies come here to learn about bitcoin, and are unlikely to have any already.

[最爱你是谁]

only want to earn some coins

[Kryptonite83]

Good way to weed out spam, and "rule breaking" post. Good Job!

[mrforetwenty]

As a newbie that sounds fair. Just putting my 2 cents  in. Greetings from the West Coast :-)

[xxxcoin]

Gotta pay your dues to do more, I guess

[bosschair]

I agree that five posts and four hours sounds pretty reasonable.  I think I can do it.

[shaps]

I wonder if something less rudimentary is better?  For example, paying a 0.01 BC fee to remove noob title?

[blacky2]

I wonder if something less rudimentary is better?  For example, paying a 0.01 BC fee to remove noob title?

That sounds interesting, i would  definitely pay that amount in order to get rid of the noob title

[eggs2see]

The time limit is a good idea, but requiring post count I don't see as great, it just encourages people to post useless stuff in the newbie section.  Like this

[ChloeST]

I've been around for quite a while, but I am still labeled as a newbie as of today.

[_saiko]

I see, this explains a few things about not being able to post

[Bitdonk]

I wonder if something less rudimentary is better?  For example, paying a 0.01 BC fee to remove noob title?

Yeah, that sounds nice, would also give some extra income to the forum ^^